by Alexandra Heep

Created on: February 13, 2009

Richmond offers many good places that are quite suitable for first dates. In this context, Richmond will mean not just City of Richmond, but every county that makes up the Richmond area. That way, if you live on one end of town and your date on another, you will have options to meet in-between. While it used to be common to make the man travel to the woman, times have changed and generally both travel equally. Here are some great locations for first dates which cover different areas of Richmond:

* Barnes And Noble/Starbucks Locations:

You can't go wrong with these. Sure, Richmond, like any other metropolis, is saturated with Starbucks cafes, but the ones which are attached to the Barnes And Noble stores are an even better choice, for several reasons: They have more people and hence make you feel more comfortabe, but it's not too loud. Also, once you are done with the beverages and pastries or sandwiches, if you hit it off with the person, you can browse the store and talk.

For people who live South of the James River, there is a location at 1200 Huguenot Road. North of the river you might find the location on 5501 West Broad Street convenient. For people in the far West End, there is a place further up on 11640 West Broad Street. All these are main thourough fares and easy to get to.

* Cafe Gutenberg

Located in the historic Shockoe Bottom, this place is a caf, coffee shop, book shop, and wine bar all in one. It has an excellent atmosphere and is located on 1700 East Main Street. This place is good for those who want to keep the option open of visiting some of the night clubs in the area with their potential date. It's also a very reputable place to meet in for those who are in areas such as Church Hill or VCU.

* Bailey's Smokehouse and Tavern

Located at 7502 West Broad Street, this place in the West End is perfect for sports fans who want to meet, without having too much noise and smoke to deal with. The huge TV screens are placed strategically and you won't get a stiff neck trying to follow your favorite sports event. Yet, this place allows you to pay enough attention to your date while you share in your favorite football, basketball, or NASCAR viewing pleasure.

* O'Tooles

Located in the Westover Hills area, you need not be Irish at all to enjoy the atmosphere at O'Tooles. It's great if both parties are non-smokers, since it's a totally smoke free pub with a family friendly atmosphere. It is relatively inexpensive and a gem in a neighborhood which does not have too many entertainment options. It's located on 4800 Forest Hill Avenue.

* Zed Cafe

This is the only place in Richmond which offers organic and local products which has managed to stay in business. This place is suitable for those who are environmentially conscious. Also, it caters to Vegans and Vegatarians, although you don't have to be one to go there. Prices here, due to the nature of the foods, are higher than at the other places mentioned. Located on 5109 Lakeside Avenue it's within minutes of the Fan, Ginter Park, Bellevue, and the Museum district. This cafe is closed however on Sundays and Mondays.

* Strawberry Street Cafe

Located in The Fan at 421 Strawberry Street, its clientele consists of artists, lawyers, business men, college students, grand parents and grand children alike. It's famous for the "bathtub salad bar" and even made it onto the TV show "Jeopardy" as a question. The wood and stained glass decor is very charming, and this Cafe features some good Virginia wines at reasonable prices.

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